Interactive Poll: Where Musicians Don't Interact

tigerfeet:  Estas Tonne “Song of the Golden Dragon”  Classical style guitar piece, builds quickly, a bit of a Spanish flair to it (the heat of the dragon?), it gets quite fiery early on.  It changes a bit thematically, but still keeps up quite a pace, then moves into a softer feel, with fingerpicking, then back again to the fireworks.  About halfway in, another visit to the land of fingerpicking, this person has incredible stamina!  The pace winds down into thoughtfulness and one more time back to the fray before becoming soft embers.  Pretty danged incredible piece. 

Mila:  Ballaké Sissoko  “Nan Sira Madi” Kora is a lovely instrument, I was thinking of bringing some, but have brought plenty over the polls, so thought to take a different route.  This is very contemplative and has some bright glisses amongst the mostly hypnotic plucking of the deeper strings.  There are some bell-like, high notes from time to time.  I get the feeling of changing landscapes as the piece moves along.  Volker Bertelmann aka Hauschka “Constant Growth Fails” This is very fast-paced, a much more modern sound than your previous. There is a steady, percussive underpinning with some plinky embellishments, very staccato, then some deep bloopy sounds.  These all become more vehemently stated, then gradually fade out, with a few extra kicks.  Xavier Rudd “Bow Down”   Lap guitar sort of instrument, one man band using pedals and such, for looping.  After the intro and first verse, the chorus is very vehement, the verse portions are very understated, with some chirping bird sorts of noises.  He gets some really great whangy sounds out of the stringed instrument.

George:  Andy McGee “Into the Ocean”  Harp guitarist begins with harmonics and picking.  This instrument is very suited to solo work, with the large number of individual strings, some at fretboard and some that are unstopped (hence the name).  The piece is very soothing and light, a nice coastal sort of feel to it.  Luca Stricagnoli “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik/Serenade in G”  This should be fun.  😊  And so it is.  Never seen a banjo played quite like this (although David Lindley certainly may have).  Very inventive and gives me a new appreciation for the potential versatility of the instrument.  Kofi Baker “Put the Shoe on the Other Foot”  Another Kofi feature, I have a fond spot for him.  As expected, really captivating, especially for a drum solo, right from the start.  Like father, like son, plenty of energy exhibited here and keeps one’s interest, hard to do with a drum solo of this length (if one isn’t a drummer).  I love the banjo piece the best, for sheer originality in use of the instrument and for pulling off the piece convincingly.

Anders:  I must say that certain insects are not my favourite creatures before we begin, but will certainly visit with them in musical form.  Rued Langgaard “the earwig”  Solo piano here, lilting and then dramatic and percussive, with a bit of a dramatic ending, beginning to your selections.  “the migrating grasshopper”  This one is more scintillating, high notes trilling swiftly along.  “the housefly”  Erratic as it’s namesake, flitters about, then comes to a sudden stop and moves a bit in place, then off again on it’s eccentric journeying.  “the mosquito”  Just when you’re drifting off to sleep in summer!  Here it is, and you can’t quite seem to get rid of it.  Best solution, stick your head under a blanket for a while.  They all had something to offer and were distinct from one another, I kind of liked the grasshopper and the housefly the best, though that is no statement on my preference of insect.